Apparatus for handling paper pulp



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glnua'ntoz l QR W April 1, 1930. F B. CHAPPELL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PAPER PULP 4 Sheets-Sheet AQZIT B Filed Aug. 6. 1926 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 PATENT OFFICE FRED B. CHAPPELL, OF GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF TO GLENS FALLS MACHINE WORKS, OF GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK; ANNIE MAE CHAPPELL AND OHAPPELL, DECEASED WILLIAM T. OOWLES, EXECUTOR-S OF FRED B.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PAPER PULP Application filed August 6, 1926. Serial no. 127,599.

This invention relates to the manufacture of paper, and particularly to a method of and apparatus for handling paper pulp in any of its so called forms as mechanical pulp and the various kinds of chemically prepared turn removed from this couch roll by another revolving member or squeeze roll, and

finally removed from this squeeze roll by means of an ordinary doctor or scraper.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a receptacle for the pulp in which a socalled revolving cylinder mold having its surface covered with wire cloth or screen is mounted; the receptacle having a connection through which pulp enters, and a suitable baflling plate or partition wall which causes the pulp to spread or flow evenly on to the foraminous surface of the cylinder mold; means being provided at one or both ends of the cylinder for removing the liquid or water which is screened from the pulp. The screening cylinder is associated with a rotating couch roll covered with some soft or yielding material such as wool, felt or rub- .ber, the surface of which contacts with the surface of the cylinder mold and removes the web or sheet of thickened or partially dc watered pulp therefrom. Due to the contact between the cylinder mold and couch roll, the pulp is subjected to a pressing action for the 40 purpose of removing a portion of the remaining water. The couch roll is associated with a rotating squeeze roll, the surface of which is in contact with the surface of the couch roll, and this squeeze roll removes the web or sheet of pulp from the couch roll and also collects and is removed with the couch roll subjects the pulp to a scraper which contacts with the squeeze roll, and the removed pulp in a partially dry state being collected for storage of further treatment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pulp dewatering apparatus capable of producing pulp approximately 28% air dry, such apparatus being simpler and of less ex pensive construction than the machines now in use which are. capable'of producing this density. a 1

Another object is to provide a machine of this character including adjustable means for the rollers, to permit variation of the density of the partially dewatered pulp.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features and steps hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more partie larly pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved be ractieed;

igure 2 is a top plan View with certain apparatus with which my novel method may parts broken away for the purpose of illusv tration;

gigure 3 is an end view of the apparatus; an

Figure 4 is an end view of a slightly modified form of apparatus for carrying out my improved method wherein a foraminated drum is rotated in a reverse direction.

In the drawing, 1 designates a tank formed of any desired material and provided with a semi-cylindrical bottom 2. The moist pulp to be partially dewatered by this apparatus, enters the tank by an inlet pipe 3 which extends through one side wall of the tank. This pipe is arranged about midway between the ends of the tank, and it discharges the moist pulp against a vertical baffle 4, which preferably extends the full length of the tank andis removably. mounted in suitable guides 5. This baflle tends to spread the moist pulp into a film or ribbon, or to evenly distribute it against the foraminous periphery of the drum or rotatable cylinder mold 6. The cylinder mold is of ordinary construction, similar to those commonly used, except that it is reinforced sufficiently to withstand pressure from the couch roll 7 hereinafter referred, to.

One or both ends of the tank is provided with a conduit 7*, through which the water, screened by the rotary mold 6, may be dis.- charged from the tank by way of the liquid discharge pipe 8; The mold 6 is mounted on a rotary shaft 9, supported by brackets 10 arranged at the ends of the tank, and the shaft is driven by a pulley 11 which may be rotated by any suitable prime mover, (not shown). As the periphery of the drum is perforated, the moisture or liquid will pass through the same to the interior of the drum and thence to the conduit 7', while the pulp will gather on the periphery of the drum and will be carried around past the evener 12 which tends to prevent the pulp from lumping on the drum. This evener consists of a plate extending throughout the length of the drum and fixed to the walls of the tank.

In order to prevent pulp from passing between the ends of the drum and the ends of c the tank, sealing collars 13 are provided at the ends of the drum. Each of these collars preferably consists of a flexible strap having one of its ends fixed to the end of the tank by a pin 14, and. its other end passed over another pin 15 on the same end of the tank and connected at 16 to adjusting screw 17 the latter having a hand wheel 18; 19 indicates a showering pipe of the ordinary construction.

Brackets 20 are mounted on the ends of the tank and each bracket has a guide slot 21 for an adjustable block 22, the latter functioning as a bearing for the couch roll shaft 23 which carries the couch roll 7 in such position that it contacts with the cylinder mold 6. The couch roll is yieldingly and adjustably forced toward the drum 6 by springs 24 and screws 25, the latter engaging stationary threads in the brackets 20 and being provided with hand wheels 26.

Another pair of brackets 27 are mounted on the ends of the tank and each of these brackets is provided with a horizontal guide slot 28 to adjustably receive a sliding block 29. These sliding blocks function as bearings for the shaft 30 of the squeeze roll 31. This roll is adj ustably and yieldingly forced toward the couch roll 7 by springs 32 and screws 33, the latter having hand wheels 34.

A doctor or scraper 35 is associated with the squeeze roll 31, and is preferably adjustably mountedin guides 36 carried by the brackets 27.

A pan 37 extends throughout the length of the tank just below the line of contact between the rolls 7 and 31, so that liquid squeezed from the pulp by these rolls is gathered and prevented'from falling on the pulp traveling up on the drum 6. This pan 37 communicates by passage-way 38 with the conduit 7, so that the moisture squeezed out between the rolls 7 and 31 is discharged by way of pipe 8.

The couch roll and squeezing roll are driven from a gear 39, mounted on the shaft 9. This gear drives a gear 40 mounted on the outer end of the couch roll shaft 23. Am other gear 41 fixed on this shaft, drives a gelalr 42 fixed on the shaft 30 of the squeezing ro The partially dewatered pulp which is scraped from the squeezing roll 31 by the doctor 35, drops down on to a chute 43 which guides the same into a hopper 44 arranged at one side of the tank and provided with an outlet 45, which. may discharge the pulp on to a screw conveyor or the like, (not shown).

In carrying out my improved method with this apparatus, the pulp is conducted to the receptacle or vat 1, by the pipe 3 and is evenly distributed along the vat my the baffle 4. This distributed pulp then contacts with the foraminous cylinder mold 6, and a portion of the water in which this pulp is contained, passes through the foraminous wire covered cylinder, out through the conduit 7 the pulp fibres collecting on the periphery of the cylinder and then traveling with the latter until they are squeezed and removed by the revolving couch roll. The couch roll carries the fibres in web or sheet form, to the revolving squeeze roll 31, which removes the pulp from the couch roll, squeezes the pulp and carries it to the-doctor 35, which scrapes it off of the squeeze roll so that it may drop into the discharge hopper 44.

In the form of apparatus as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 I have shown the shaft of the drum provided with a drive pulley and a suitable gear which is connected with suitable gearing for driving the couch and squeeze roll, but it is, of course, understood that the particular form of driving mechanism employed for driving the rotating members is immaterial, as I am aware that any suitable driving mechanism can be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the embodiment of my invention as shown in Figure 4, 1 indicates a tank constructed substantially the same as shown in Figures 1 to 3 provided with an inlet pipe 3 and having a foraminated drum 6 mounted therein which is rotated in a reverse direction to that shown in Figures 1 to 3, said drum being engaged by a couch roll 7' which is yieldably and adjustably held in contact therewith as clearly shown. The couch roll is engaged by a squeeze roll 31 which is adjustably and yieldably held in contact therewith, these rolls being rotated in the direction shown by the arrow.

A pivoted doctor or scraper 35 is adapted to engage the squeeze roll for removing the pulp therefrom, said pulpdropping into a chute from which it is delivered to a hopper 44, the pivoted doctor or scraper being provided with an arm 35. on which is mounted a weight 35 for holdin the same in contact with the squeeze roll fbr removing the pulp therefrom.

In the operation of the apparatus as shown in Figure 4 the pulp is fed into the receptacle through the inlet pipe and is evenly distributed along the vat by a baflle on the revolving foraminated drum where a portion of the moisture is removed and as the drum. is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow, the pulp which has collected thereon and which has been partially dewatered is picked up by the rotating couch roll from which it is removed by the squeeze roll. It is then removed by the doctor or scraper from the squeeze roll and conveyed into the hopper in substantially the same manner as shown in Figures 1 to 3 with the exception that the drum rotates in a reverse direction so the pulp collected on the surface thereof is not carried through the liquid in the bottom of the tank but is conveyed directly to the couch roll.

In Figures 1 to 3 I show a construction of an apparatus for carrying out my method where the foraminated drum rotates in a reverse direction to Figure 4, but I am aware that the drum as shown in these figures could be rotated in a reverse direction by suitable driving mechanism and it would only be necessary to change the position of the doctor or scraper in order to have the apparatus as shown in Figures 1 to 3 operate in substantially the same manner as shown in Figure 4 and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to an apparatus wherein the drum, couch roll and squeeze roll are rotated in any direction and are driven by any particular driving mechanism, as I have found by experimenting that my method can be carried out on 'eitherform of apparatus.

Prior to the present invention, two standard types of pulp dewaterers have usually been employed. The first type which I will refer to, is somewhat similar to my apparatus, 1

storage tanks into mixing boxes or tanks and but does not have any roll'similar to my squeezing roll 31, nor is it capable of performing the same function as the squeezing roll. \Vith'this type of apparatus, the density of the delivered pulp is not sufficientlyhigh for some operations or' requirements, the maximum being about 10% air dry, that is, the

or stacks for future use.

delivered pulp will contain 10 parts of dry fibre with 90 parts of water or liquid.

The second type of apparatus heretofore used for removingwater from pulp is much more complicated than the first type and is therefore expensive. This second type of. apparatus consists of a revolving cylinder mold, a couch roll, one or more pairs of press rolls, and a long endless felt which travels over the couch roll and between the press rolls and which removes the sheet or web of pulp from the cylinder mold and carries it through the press rolls where it is subjected to a pressing action. IVl1ile this second type of the prior art produces a pulp sheet approximately 30% air dry, the cost of maintenance of the extra press rolls, felt rolls hous'ings,.long endless felt, etc., is high and there is a further cost in the operation of such equipment due to the necessity of constant attendance by an operator.

The advantages of my apparatus over these prior art structures may be broadly summarized as follows:

Capacity per diameter and length of cylinder mold is equal to either the first or second prior art types. Cost is approximately the same as the first prior art type, and much less than that of the second type. Cost of operation and maintenance is about equal to that of the first type and is much less than that of the second type.

Simple and efiicient means are provided for exerting the required pressure on both the couch roll and squeeze roll for producing the desired dewatering action.

Pulp delivered from the squeeze roll 31 testing maximum of about 28% dry, of which various densities up to this percentage are found very desirable in modern methods of paper and pulp manufacture, in which pulp delivered from the first prior art type may not be sufficiently dry and that delivered from the second type being perhaps of proper density but having cost excessively per tea as compared with my method and apparatus.

The heretofore common method of handling and storing pulp has been to run it over a machine of the second type, having it collect on one of the pressrolls, cutting it off in the form of a sheet and folding it over upon itself in so called laps, these laps are stored inpilcs When they are to be used, they must be again reduced to a soft or liquid state by putting them through beaters and adding necessary water. Many pulp and paper mills now store their pulp in a soft or wet state, pumping directly from their from thence directly to paper machines. My invention is admirably adapted to such operation, since the stock or pulp is removed from the squeeze roll in a state of any desired density up to 28%, and thence conducted from the hopper 44 to the storage tanks by means of pump or mechanical conveyors, (not shown), without the necessity of constant labor attendance.

This invention is well adapted, and a purpose of the invention is to handle various kinds of pulp which are to be subjected to a bleaching process, since most of such processes require the pulp to be delivered to the bleachers at various degrees of densities, higher than that produced by the first prior art type, and lower than that produced by the second type, and this new invention equipped with a screw conveyor or the like, leading from the hopper 44 to the bleaching tank is best adapted to the purpose described.

I am aware that with similar apparatus, the

pulp is sometimes removed in the form of a continuous web or sheet, and I do not desire to.

limit this invention tothe removal of pulp in i a web or sheet, but intend to remove itin various forms such as so-calledslush stock, or

soft stock, or noodles, and especially for bleaching purposes, in the form of flakes.

The vat or receptacle 1 may be of any ordinary construction which will house the cylin der mold and accomplish the result desired. The couch roll 7 is of common construction, having a series of spiders, (not shown) mounted on the shaft 23; thesespiders supfor removing water from the interior of said drum, a couch roll coactin with the drum to signature.

FRED B. CHAPPELL.

porting wooden staves which form a solid wooden surface over which the felt or rubber jacket is placed. I do not, however, limit myself to this construction, but may use any form of couch roll capable of producing the desired results. In some instances, I may employ a foraminous covered couch roll so as to permit a portion of the water to be forced into the interior of the couch roll, from which it may be discharged by any suitable means.

The squeeze roll 31 is preferably of solid construction, and usually made from a sohd maple log with the shaft 30 passlng through its center. I am aware that squeeze rolls of various other constructions may be employed without conflicting with the objects of this invention, such as a roll constructed with a smooth surface metal cylinder, or one having a solid wood surface built up in sections, or on spiders, or one having a shell, the surface of which is covered with yielding material such as rubber.

Fromthe foregoing, it is believed that the construction and operation of the apparatus, the steps of the method and the advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those versed in the art, and I am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed Without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claim;

\Vhat I claim is:

An apparatus for dewatering paper pulp including a tank having an inlet for a mixture of pulp and liquid, a foraminous drum ar-- ranged in said tank and through which water may be removed from the pulp, a water outlet 

